State of the Pittsburgh Pirates 2.0: Still Hanging On

Biggest Disappointment: Gregory Polanco
Stats (Through 6/27): .304 OBP, .361 Slugging, .286 WOBA, 76 WRC+, 75 OPS+, -0.3 WAR
Remember Jose Tabata? If so, you probably think of him more as the guy who controversially broke up Max Scherzer’s perfect game than the “can’t miss” outfield prospect acquired from the Yankees. After a solid rookie season, Tabata got a large contract extension, and never fulfilled his potential. Although their situations are different, another touted outfield prospect could be headed down that same path.

Gregory Polanco has been awful. Not only is he not living up to his abilities, but he doesn’t even qualify as an average major league baseball player. The stats speak for themselves, and they are not pretty.

Polanco is still a relatively young player at 25, so it’s not too late for him to turn it around. For right now, however, El Coffe just is not cutting it, and that is frustrating. The tools are still there, and we’ve seen flashes this season, but the consistency needs to come.

Polanco has more potential than Tabata did. He has power, along with a great throwing arm, and is in impressive physical condition, But right now, he’s going down Tabata’s path to obscurity. That’s a scary thought, and time will tell how it turns out.